A Western concert flute is a side-blown flute, meaning that the player blows directly across the edge of a mouthpiece while the remainder of the flute's tubular body is held transverse to the player's body. The air stream across the mouthpiece creates a Bernoulli Effect that excites the air contained in the tubular body. The player changes the pitch of the sound by opening and closing holes in the body of the instrument, thus changing the effective length of a resonator and its corresponding resonant frequency. By varying the air pressure, a flute player can also change the pitch of a note by causing the air in the flute to resonate at a harmonic other than the fundamental frequency without opening or closing any holes.
While playing a flute, a player utilizes all the player's fingers except the right thumb to operate the keys of the instrument. For support, the flute rests on the root of the player's left index finger and on the player's right thumb. Unfortunately, this arrangement is not particularly stable. If the flute is not adequately supported, the pressure on the mouthpiece may cause the flute to rotate about its longitudinal axis. Likewise, that same pressure may try to twist the flute so that its distal end moves towards the player's body. Each of these effects may become more pronounced when the player's hands become sweaty due to, for example, the stress of a performance. Under extreme conditions, the flute may even slip away entirely and the player may lose the player's hand position.
An attempt to address the problem of adequately supporting a flute while playing that instrument can be found in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0044635 (now abandoned) to Lee, entitled “Flute Attachment.” This solution utilizes a “securing member” that is attached to the flute's body and against which a player may rest the player's right thumb when playing the instrument. Nevertheless, such a solution is configured to be “substantially C-shaped” and to attach to the flute by a clamping action. There is, as a result, strong concern that such an attachment will affect the resonant qualities of the flute and thereby change its sound. Such an attachment may also limit the freedom of movement of the flute player's thumb, which consequently restricts the hand position and makes it uncomfortable and more difficult to play the flute. Lastly, there is a concern that such a solution may actually damage the instrument. Accordingly, while such a solution may be effective in helping to stabilize the flute, it is far from ideal.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for alternative means of supporting a flute while playing that instrument. Ideally, such a solution will not substantially affect the sound of the flute, will not damage the flute, and will accommodate flute players with different sized hands.